Rejected and claimed by the alpha beast Novel by Paige T

Holden had made sure to keep his distance, and she was sure the b***d was plotting behind the scenes. Elise pushed herself to be patient, and no matter how much she wanted to snap his neck off, she needed to wait for the trial.

So Elise immersed herself in Hayden’s mourning, even though she was the Luna and leader of the pack, she was his wife, and in Calhan tradition, the wife must wear black for those 20 days of mourning. But for her, it was a countdown to taking Holden down.

And right now Elise’s soul felt as black as the clothes donned on her, but instead of the dark colors dampening Elise’s shine, she reveled in it, her aura strong and deadly when she dressed in the mourning attire.

She wore a slim black dress lined to her curved bodice, and she had a dark veil over her head when in public to show she was mourning, but that didn’t stop her from helping the pack and attending to her duties where needed. It was a welcomed distraction.

She could tell there was a change in some of the pack members’ demeanor, like they didn’t know who to trust, and she didn’t blame them; there were a lot of secrets she’d kept hidden. But it would all come to light when she brought that b**rd down and exposed him.

She had tried to be patient until the day she heard about a secret meeting Holden held without informing her. The moment she was told of it, Elise interfered immediately, barging into their presence.

With steps echoing power and grace, she pulled back her veil to watch the elders, whose eyes widened from her appearance.

The moment all the elders recognized her entrance, they all stood up with respect yet were confused as to how she found out, “Why is the meaning of this? Why am I not invited to this meeting? Am I not allowed to have one in my own home?” She asked the round table.

“Forgive us, Luna. We thought it was too soon since you are still in mourning, and I didn’t-” Elder Small started.

“I told them we can go on without you, my dear ‘Luna,” Holden said the last words sarcastically: he believed the mourning period would protect him from Elise since violence was prohibited during that time, and now there were only ten more days to go.

“And how was that your place to call?” She asked with a cool, stoic expression to mask her rage. Oh, moons, it took everything for her not to cut that smug gaze.

“Because, dear Elise, your dark circles are very obvious to the court; whether it be your conscience or grief keeping you up at night, it’s best to keep you healthy before the trial,” he said with the most sickly-sweet tone. She knew the hate and accusations hidden in his words.

A chair was pulled out for her by one of the elders, who nervously cleared his throat to clear out the tension, but her gaze was still heavily on Holden before she muttered, “Let us continue.”

The elders were impressed by her strong presence and advice, implementing all her orders while Holden fumed silently watching her control the meeting. Something he couldn’t do since he barely kept up with politics and only sought power.

His only hope was that she couldn’t find any evidence, and soon enough she would be locked up for his framed-up crimes, and he would be rightfully made king; he wouldn’t be weak and swayed by a woman’s skirt no matter how beautiful she was He wasn’t his brother.

The meeting ended with all the elders leaving. Holden trudged out slowly, he gave a short and disrespectful courtesy to her, but Elise wasn’t having it. The doors immediately closed in his face, a command Elise had given to the guards outside And now he was locked in here with her.

“So you trap me in here for what? If you’re looking for someone to warm your bed, I’m sorry I don’t **k my brother’s leftover-”

He felt his breath almost taken out when Elise was in front of him in mere seconds and slammed him into the walls. Holden’s heart hammered in his chest in pure terror.

“You can fool everyone, but not me. I know who you are and what you did to Hayden, and I will make sure you spend the rest of your life paying for it, and whatever you are planning to do with my court, drop it,” she warned.

“What if they want to follow a man that isn’t blinded by a woman’s skirt for a change-‘ she didn’t let him finish those words as she lands a hard smack to his face, leaving the betas cheek throbbing. No one would disrespect Hayden.

“Now f**king run with your tail tucked between you legs before I do something else you would regret, b**d” she snarls.

Holden tried to hold his shudder and swallowed down the nervousness he felt from her aura and that wicked power in her gaze that overpowered him. And for a moment, Holden saw his brother’s will in her eyes, as if telling him he won’t succeed.

She pulled back and watched as he skittered out of the meeting room with his heart lurching in his throat and the curse of revenge in his eyes. He wanted her gone and he’d make sure of it.

The minute he left, Elise let out the breath she was holding; she felt a warm liquid trail down her arms to see that she’d unconsciously drawn her claws out and nicked herself to stop ripping his arm off, but she immediately healed it.

But now her gaze was on her hand, and she saw then the mark on her ring finger hadn’t disappeared; it wouldn’t; it was like an eternity ring and a forever constant reminder of the Alpha, who had been constantly in her dreams and on her mind, and their emptiness ever since she left him, her Rygan.

She had quickly gotten word after that day, and she knew he returned safe, but she had cut off any contact with the Blackmoon pack, hoping no instance would make them meet, making her miss him. For moon’s sake, she was a widow yet thinking about him.

This time she couldn’t erase his mark, not when the bond was completed the day she gave herself to him in that cell. She had given whatever was left of her could and his promise and mended it all together again. Now she was his, even though she denied it, denied herself of him.

“Elise? Luna Elise!” She heard her name called, and her train of thought immediately cut through as she peered back at Jenna, who looked worried.

She had just laid Ethan to bed after his bath and had come to check on Elise before she slept. Another 5 days had passed with Hayden’s burial, making it ten days now. The trial drew near, and she was sleep-deprived with every waking day that passed.

“I’m sorry, Jen, I didn’t hear you; I was thinking,” she said with a smile that didn’t stretch out so much in a genuine expression.

Jenna nodded in understanding as she handed her a cup of herbs, “Here, this would help you sleep she assured. Elise had been plagued with nightmares mostly every day and the horrors of her time trapped in that deadly dungeon.

She told no one what she’d gone through, though they suspected it because of how she came into the pack, but no one dared ask; they wouldn’t understand what she and Rygan went through

“Thank you, Jen, bow is Ethan?” She called, sipping the bitter concoction; her brows creased, a grimace from the bitterness of the potion, but she downed it all in one go.

“He’s better; he has gotten-more comfortable with playing with his friends again; he’s getting better,” she assured, and it calmed Elise to an extent.

She thanked Jenna and then watched as Jenna left before Elise headed to her bed, pulling the rope down to the floor before she crawled into the now big bed and lied down, closing her eyes to sleep again. But this time instead of waking up to nightmares like she did every day, she found herself in the sweet caress of Rygan’s hold.

“My El, my mate..how I’ve missed you.” She heard his voice echo, she whimpered in yearning as she reached out for him.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry I left like that, but being away from you is iny punishment, not until I’ve done everything right,” she said to Rygan, his hold on her weakened, and just as she pushed herself off the head to reach for him, he disappeared.

Her hands trembled in panic; he wouldn’t leave her, would he? “Rygan?” She whispered in panic, “Rygan, please don’t leave me, no!” She cried out in search of him around the mist-covered forest, her sense of comfort gone.

“No!” Elise screamed, her eyes shooting open as she felt her cheeks wet. She leaned up over her bed frame, and this time her tears weren’t that of sorrow but yearning.

Her dreams had begun to continue like this for days, not until the fourth day when she heard different news, immediately interrupted by one of her guards. She watched as the guard entered the room and bowed to her. “Luna Elise, someone by the gate is on request for you, from the Blackmoon pack,” the guard explained.

“I told you I won’t accept anyone from there, especially the king,” she said to the male.

“I know..but this time, it’s not a message from the king.. but the Blackmoon general is at your door, Luna, and he’s brought his mate who wants to see you.” He spoke.

Elise’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?” She was shocked as her eyes glazed with excitement and a newfound strength buzzed under her skin. She sprinted up from her seat and looked towards the gate as she let out a sigh of joy. She couldn’t believe that Vienna was here!

She turned to give the guards her reply with kind eyes as she muttered, “Please, let them in.” Elise couldn’t believe it.

She was going to see her best friend!